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Tag: Drama

Frank is so much more than a stark psychotic drama. It is a heightened dig into the heads of brilliant characters you might have trouble getting a proper read on. It is loosely inspired on the life of Frank Sidebottom (Chris Sievey) and has been curdled fictitiously into a gorgeous account.

OUTSTANDING FRANK CHARACTERS

To see everything through the sane eyes of the protagonist Jon Burroughs played superbly by Domhnall Gleeson was a delight per se. His character would shoehorn you into his shoes to help you get a better insight into the story. You soon get an endearing perspective on a peculiar persona who prefers to stay behind a mask, come what may.

Clara played by Maggie Gyllenhaal and Scoot McNairy’s Don are uncanny characters as well, aced by both the actors to perfection. Visual landscapes captured in the movie are magnificent, so is understanding the madness in every little thing. Lenny Abrahamson‘s direction is simply mind-boggling that ices the work of Jon Ronson and Peter Straughan beautifully.

ITCHY BRITCHES SPOILERS AHEAD

Michael Fassbender, the guy behind the papier mache cover, is the very definition of queer but he is simply fascinating when you get to know him better. He is the hidden force that keeps everyone together. You can get an idea about the gravity in his character with his lyrics primarily because for the most part you can’t really see the expressions he hides underneath the veil.

Things don’t stop tumbling towards the bizarre vale yet, as you get to know all the band members gradually, with the aid of Jon’s interaction with them. The movie is laced out with their insanity and their extreme love for music. Frank is the crux of the tale as the world Jon writes down is brimming up with love for him in every way. He is a very interesting character but unfortunately like most members of his band is suffering from a mental illness that Jon ploughs out slowly.

What was sad to find out was the world didn’t really share Jon’s enthusiasm, rather liked the hilarity of the group. He realizes eventually that he was trying to mould something irreparable, and then tries to make amends.

WHAT CONSTANTLY WORKS FOR FRANK

What works for this movie is its light humour and its surreal oddity, a misplaced feel of melodrama that weaves it into a majestic outcome. An intelligently built movie that ends with Jon setting things right again, the way things were in the first place, bizarre yet tied down by a single tinge of togetherness.

Check out another review of his another great feature film Room that hit the theatres in 2015 here: Room Review

Sarbjit starts off with overacting galore, blemished further by director’s shoddy style of depicting frames. You can’t help yourself from falling into pits of instant indifference, the moment songs come into play one after the other. It starts off on a bad foot, there is no doubt about that. But then it takes a pleasant pace, where you actually get to fathom the story of an unfortunate guy muzzled by the grinding gears of countries at war.

FLAWS IN THE DIRECTION OF SARBJIT

There are hundreds of flaws in direction that walk boldly around in prominence. The worst half of it appeared like a comedy movie. You cannot take seriously a character as they deliver detached unfeeling lines. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is the poorest choice one could make for a movie. She fails to get under the skin of the protagonist, and seems aloof from the gravity of the situation. Screenplay doesn’t have much to offer except for few occasional dialogues that will make you ponder. Like when she drops:

“Where is all the hate coming from?”

BEST BITS OF SARBJIT

The best part, the most sentient part of the movie, however is when Sarabjit, played exceptionally well by Randeep Hooda, meets his entire family for the first time in jail. You cannot stop yourself from breaking down empathizing with the head of a guy parched for years without love. One of the most shattering moments of the flick! Also, when Sarabjit mournfully broods he must have done something terrible to have met such a fate. You can’t help but feel extremely sorry for him. A life lost – as he reflects. Richa Chadha, a brilliant actor, stays overshadowed throughout, under the wraps forever, until one time in the end she tries to image memories from the past by holding Sarbjit’s belongings only to keep them so that he stays around in the house. Powerful stuff!

As you chug down the movie lane further, there is boisterous uproar from Dalbir Kaur (Aishwarya) which becomes impoverished further by the movie’s writing. Terrible I would say as goosebumps fail to register!

CONSTANTLY FALLING

At times it becomes akin an Indian TV soap, sometimes even worst. The music department makes a purposeful endeavour to squeeze in a melancholic tone to make everything sound gloomier.

But as you take a good look at it, you have to hand it over to the sister who endures unfettered yet shackled by the plight of his brother. There is so much she does, that is quite relatable of all stuffs, something you would do for your family.

IN NEED OF A BETTER DIRECTOR

All in all you cannot help wonder of ways the movie on Sarbjit could have been better. The real grim feel behind the situation has been obscured profusely to muster out sentience. If only a better director and writer had eyed Sarabjit first!

Carol isn’t just a self-exploration sojourn of Therese Belivet; it is so much more. With an enchanting screenplay to keep us company, Carol walks with a constant finesse depicting human emotions in a beautiful way. You can’t help but feel for the characters as they carry the right gusto in their acts.

Rooney Mara is simply outstanding. She carries a face of innocence that reads confusion quite often, whilst trying to learn the ways of her character. Coming to her aid is the voluptuous Carol Aird played by Cate Blanchett, whose life is torn apart owing to an ongoing divorce scene that hurls her into fits of melancholia.

SPOILERS:

The way Todd Haynes traverses the camera from a gutter to a third person perspective by capturing the rattling and chugging of a train in the backdrop, to reach the protagonists having a conversation on a table speaks volume of his sheer genius. Right there the prologue gets painted, and memories gush in from the past through the mist of the car window, as Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara) gawks at the city, being indifferent to the talks of the mundane.

It is a beautiful way of depicting movie frames which Haynes seems to have mastered. He nails them like a pro. Complements Todd brilliantly in the background with an enthralling profound score is Carter Burwell, whose music is placed at right scenes, to make you feel the flick’s endearing rhythm.

“My angel, flung out of space.”

Love has so many forms. It goes beyond age and sex, and Patricia Highsmith’s story couldn’t cover it better. With a genius like Todd to help us crawl alongside the frames, the movie forever stays in empathetic waters. With spectacular performances by Cate and Rooney, the movie reaches a pinnacle of emotions. Little things, like when Therese notices minute details in Carol whilst she drives, and when she shows up eventually with a quivering heart hoping that she would see her are all brilliantly shot.

The movie’s drama at times misses on milking Carol’s love for Therese. Her life’s atrocities fail to cash in on the love she feels for Therese, and that’s where the flick appears to have dwindled. But still Haynes manages to keep the juices flowing and what we have in the end is a magnificent project in melodrama.

What makes this movie a hoot? Three adorable children who comprehend the world with their own little brains, see relationships with their own beady innocent eyes, and act on their reckless instincts and innocent unbloomed knowledge. What We Did on Our Holiday is a delightful perspective into the abyss of the broken that skims its aftermath gorgeously.

David Tennant looks the right kind of perplexed in the comedy trying to figure out his children and marriage whilst Rosamund Pike complements him beautifully with her engaged acting. Ben Miller as Gavin is brilliant as well. Billy Connolly ices the funny storyline with his pizzazz and brilliant comic timing.

The screenplay is witty, subtle and snappy. The good thing about its humour is that the entire film, unlike other comedies, is not build on a slapstick foundation. The theme of the movie sometimes goes really thoughtful from sheer comedy which further furbishes the rhythm. The plot will make you giggle per se without any extra addition to the story.

If you look at the downsides, sometimes you do hope the drama to be a little bit more grave. It lacks profundity, but considering it a Comedy, this fact can be overlooked.

A brilliant comedy that is compelled to traverse the ‘outstanding category’ by the mere cuteness rush of Harriet Turnbull and Bobby Smalldridge. This Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin project is a definite go go!

STEVE CARELL’S MAKE-OVER

You have to give a standing ovation to Steve Carell’s makeup artists. The job they did with his prosthetic nose and a complete makeover is highly commendable. The character build up is so brilliant that it is quite next to impossible to figure out if is Steve who is behind the mask! The posture, the walk, the talk, the demeanour, everything is just marvelously put on by Steve and he perfects it at every frame.

Channing Tatum is equally ravishing sporting a constant tough-boy lower lip countenance that he carries throughout. Mark Ruffalo is simply outstanding in Foxcatcher. The acting pro plays Mark Schultz’s elder brother to perfection. There is so much going on on his face that you could almost read it.

Miller’s direction is one of the best I have ever seen. He keeps us engaged with long shots of a particular expression something that every drama thrives on. The editing of the movie could have however gone better since there were many dispensable shots strewn all across. Rob Simonsen and Michael Danna did a great job with the composition which Miller played only when required, quite nicely.

SPOILERS WRESTLING AHEAD

As the frames run towards the inception of the flick, the movie gradually eases into the concept behind the movie moniker ‘Foxcatcher’, subtly remarking its historical significance. We witness a herd of men on horses on hunting grounds with hounds chasing foxes speaking of their affluence. Then begins the flick with Mark’s routine and Dave’s flair.

Soon we are introduced to the great John Du Pont a character so brilliantly woven, that it makes it hard to see through him. John’s constant endeavor to prove himself to his mother is wonderfully depicted. Amongst some great scenes from the movie are John’s frequent outbursts (Watch out for that gun bit!), Channing’s hitting himself in wrath, Mark’s exceptional efforts to help his brother, wrestling moves that Mark and Dave perfected and of course the unexpected climax.

Robert Duvall‬ is outstanding and so is Robert Downey Jr. in the movie The Judge.

SPOILERS

Little outbursts and disagreements of the duo have been executed brilliantly and framed exceptionally well by ‪Dobkin‬. The bit where Duvall rushes up in high squall carrying a temper whilst Downey follows for war is one of the most dramatic scenes that shows how puny nature is against human commotion! Humour is strewn in the movie and when you have Downey with the bat, it always makes home runs.

Drenched with drama the movie has an apt theme that runs around the convicted irony – the Judge who isn’t willing to let his guard down and who hates his middle son Downey for so many irreparable reasons that he can’t just give in. Whilst Downey, the forlorn child who never returned to his parents owing to the long born and bred abomination he burnt in, tries to save him from the clouded murder of a foul-mouthed obnoxious hill-billy.

The score is apt and the screenplay is intense. Loved how Dobkin carried it all. The amount of focus he put in, in every frame is worth commending. A must watch for Downey’s wit lovers and also for dramaholics.

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About Me

A prolific writer, started out when I was a kid, on a leaflet in a diary. Pages turned impressive pretty quick. Found myself writing quite often ever since.
What started as a passion has become an obsession and boy I can't stop. Wish to take it up as a profession with the right support.
A poet at heart. My words often reek of dark dismay and gloom and scale the depths of sentience. I just hope my ink never runs out and that I keep resurrecting dead pages. Love.